Interestinglyenough,Iwasplacedinthepositionofhavingtogetthetoolboxopeninthe workshoplastweek,andthat’safirstforawhile.Ihadputthe‘54Customlineinfora WOFasitwasabouttimethatItookitoutoftheshedandgotitregistered.Forthefirst timesinceIhaveownedit,itletmedownabitasthetesterwasnottookeenonthe abilityofthevehicletobrakeunderpressure.Whenheputitthroughitspacesit suddenlydidadivetotheleft,whichissomethingthatisalittleoutofthenorm.Also, sinceitwasstillusingwhatlookedtobe1954brakehoses,“Youmayaswellreplace them”hesaid“atthesametimeasyousolvetheotherproblem.”Fromthereitwasthe sameasanyoneelsewoulddo:dropbothfrontwheelsandhubs,doacheckandsee wheretheproblemlies.Veryeasy,frontrightcylindernottooflash,sooutitcame,gave itagoodclean,slighthone,newsealsandbackititwentafterhavingthenewhose attached.Thesamethingonthelefthandside,butthatcylinderwasgoodsoitwasjust thenewhosetobefittedthere,andthesameattherearabovethediffThankgoodness forthehoist.Icanwellrememberwhatitwasliketocrawlroundonmybackonthe concretefloorforyearsdoingthesejobs.Aquickbleed,topupthefluidinthecylinder, testandthenbackforthewarrantNomoreworries,justfeelalittlesorryforthebank account.
SwapMeetonthe5thOctoberatFeildingfortheManawatuVCC.Theweatheralways seemstoplayabigpartinrespecttoswapmeets,andtheyhadaverygoodturnoutona niceday.Anotherverysuccessfulmeetingformysonandmyself:withanyluck,there shouldbealittlemoreroomontheshelvesafterweunpack.Itwasgreattocatchupwith somanylike-mindedpeople,whoIonlyseemtomeetthesedaysatswapmeets.They usedtobringouttheoldercars,butforsomereasonyoujustdon’tseethemaboutin themanymore.
OnSunday6th,therewasasmallerthanusualturnoutattheclubforthepostponedget togetherafterourmonthlyclubmeeting,howevertherewerestillenoughforadecent catchupwiththosewhowerepresent.Forme,itwasuptheladderbetweenshowersto cleanthespoutingoutletfiltersasallthewaterseemedtobecomingdowntheoutsideof thedownpipes.Butnotnow,Ifixedtheb……………s!!!!!!(Atleastitprovedthatthe tripnorthwasworthit.)
Todayisabitofaletdown.Theweatherlookedgoodearlier,butnowthatIwishtodo somethingthathastobedone,likegardeningandlawns,etc,therainhasarrivedandit’s backtothisreport.Lifecanbesorewarding,canitnot?
Nowlookingforwardtoaheapofactivityandenjoymentthismonth. Justremembertakecareandbeveryawareoutthere
AnothergreatturnouttoourOctoberclubnight,andtherewerealsolots ofnewfaces.
Amechanicaldevicewaspresentedtothecongregationfordiscussion.A long-establishedFoxtonGaragewashavingacleanoutandfoundthisitem ofinterestintheirloft.Afteritsintroductiontheveryheavypieceof electricalequipmentwasrevealed.Approximately6membersknewwhat itwasanddiscussiontookplaceonhowtooperatethe1950sLeopard SpotWelder,whatitwasusedfor,andhowitworked.
TheSeptembergarageraidwasahugesuccesswithatriptoKenSaville’s placeatParaparaumuBeach.Kenownsaninterestingcollectionof vehiclesandmemorabiliaTherewereavarietyofcarsrangingfroma 1936AustinSeventhatwasKen’sfistcar,andyettoberestored,a1939 FordDeluxeunderrestoration,a1958TriumphTR3inbeautifulcondition, a1955AlvisGreyLady,a1997Daimler,a1961Jaguar3.8,notto mentiontheRangeRovers.Clubmembershadondisplaya1965Honda S600,a1930Chev,and1959Sunbeam.Allthosemembersenjoyed themselvesandmanystoppedoffafterwardsatKapitiClassicCarsto viewwhatwasforsale.
19membersturneduptotheclubroomsonSaturday14thmorningto receiveinstructionfromthemasterhimself,VerdonHeath,onthe intricaciesoftheinfamousStraight-lineNavigation.Verdonhadacourse tapedoutonthefloorandmembersreceivedinstructiononwalking aroundthecourse.Itwasagreatsessionenjoyedbyallandmostfeltmuch betterintheirmindsregardingthemysteriousart.
OnSunday15that9.30am,20membersheadedawayfromtheclubrooms withinstructionsforColinGeange‘sorganizedruntoagramophone collectionownedbyBruceLeaskinPalmerstonNorth.Colin unfortunatelycouldnotmaketherun;however,hissonPaulwasthereto greetusandintroducedustoBruce.Brucebuiltupthecollectionfromold recycledpieces,garagecleanouts,skips,etcandhiscollectionhadsome
veryrareitems.Hehadonlypurchasedtwocompletegramophonesover theyears.
FromthereweproceededtoPohanginawherewehadapicniclunch,with tea,coffeeandbiscuitssupplied,andatourleisureviewedthecollectionat LuttrelisMuseum.Thisiswellworthavisitifyouareeveroutthatway. Clubmembershaveattendedthreerallysthroughoutthemonth.Three teamsattendedthetheManawatuMeanderorganizedbytheWellington BranchandbasedinDannevirkeoveraweekend.VerdonHeathattended theRubberDuckiealongwith45othermotorcyclistsheldinTaranaki.He reportedthathehadaverygoodtimemeetingupwithfellowbike enthusiasts.PeterJamiesonventuredoverthehillinhisChryslerinthe ManawatuVintage-onlyrally.HeunfortunatelygotlostinWoodville takingawrongturn,howevermetupwitheveryoneatthelunchbreakat theRailMuseumWorkshopsinPahiatua.
QuiteafewHorowhenuamemberswerespottedattheManawatuSwap meetatManfeildlookingforabargain.
Cominguponthe20thOctoberisJulie’sorganizedruntoatractor collection,andthenontoMeadowcroftGardensinOtakiforapicnicand meander.Ifwetwewillsetuptables,etc indoors.Thereisasmallchargeof$8toviewthegardensandthisisall donatedtoTeHoroHallRestoration.
From25thto28thOctoberistheNationalVauxhallBedfordRallyatthe VillageGreeninLevin.TrevorStoneistheorganizer. ThemostimportantrallyontheClubcalendarthisyearistheTararua Trundleonthe10thNovember,startingandfinishingattheclubrooms. Thisrallyhaseverything,andpromisestobeanexcitingdayout.Entry formsavailablenow,andmemberswhodonothaveaclubeligiblevehicle aremostwelcometojoininthefun,lessthestressandchoosetheirown destinyinthenon-competetivesection.
AreminderthattheTedGreenMemorialRallyiscomingup23rdFebruary nextyear.Sogetthatmotorcyclepolishedupandreadytogoforthis popularevent.
BreakingNews.TheTaranakiBranch60thMaungaMoanaRallyhasbeen confirmedfor21stand22ndMarch25inNewPlymouth Inthemeantime,keepthatoildripping.
SpeakerforNovember
Wedon’thaveaguestspeaker,butJohnWhitewillgiveusarundownonthe latestfromtheVCCconference,whichheattendedasourbranchdelegate. Inthepastwehavehadveryinterestingtalksbyclubmembersabouttheir vehicles,andwouldliketocontinuethese.Manyofyouhavecarsand motorcycles,eitherfinishedorunderrestoration,thatweneedtoknowabout,so howaboutdoingapresentationataclubnight?ContactchairmanBillLaney
NewClubMembers
Anewfaceatlastclubnight.AlexKellyiskeentojoinus,havingrecently aquiredacoupleofcarstorenovate.Webutlookforwardtoseeinghim andtheresultsofhisefforts.
Recovering
Goodnews:wehaven’theardofanybodywhohasanythingtorecover from.
Party!
OurChristmasDinneristobeheldattheclubroomsonSunday8th December.CateringwillbebyRaewyn’sCafeasinpreviousyears,sowe knowwecanlookforwardtoadeliciousmeal.Costisyettobefinalised, buttheclubwillsubsidisetomakeitevenbettervalue. Youwillalsogettovotefortheawardforthe“RestorationoftheYear”. Allthelatestwillbelinedupbytheclubrooms.
CoverPicture
SpottedparkedinJacksonStreet,Petoneyearsago.Isthatajaguar leapingoffthebonnet?
Justaquicknotetoremindyouall,pleaseusethemagazinesonthetablejust outsidethelibrarydoor.Thesearefreeforthetakingandthereissomegreat readingtobehad.
Carwindowdisplaycards. Forthoseofyouwhohavegiventhedetailsoftheircar,thesecards willbereadyforpickupnextclubnight.Justbringalongyour$5.00.
RobinandDianeStrachan
Around35folksenjoyedalookthroughtheantiques,collectiblesand automobiliaatWaimeaVintageinPekaPeka.AnysimilaritytoAmericanPickers ismorethanjustcoincidence--muchofthestockcamefromarecentbuying tripintheUSA,includingavisittotheAmericanPickersstoreinNashvillewhere theypurchasedvariousitems.TheymetMikeWolffandweretakenouttolunch byhisbrotherRobbiewhooftenappearsintheshow(SpoilerAlert---FrankFritz hasrecentlyhadacoupleofstrokesandisnotverywell).
NextstopwastheMaharaGalleryinWaikanaewhichhadawonderfulexhibition called"WomenofOtaki:Photographsfromthe1860sto1970s".Each photographwasaccompaniedbyashortback-storywhichreallybroughtthe subjectstolifeManyofthewomenwerealsosignatoriestothe1893Suffrage PetitionandElectoralRegister,whichseemstohaveannoyedthewell-known WellingtonbusinessmanMr.HenryWright--seetheattachedcopyofhis"Notice toEpiceneWomen"
Itisawell-knownfactthatacombinationofemancipation,browsingantiques andswappingtallstoriesbreedsafearsomeappetite,soitwasfortunatethatthe OliveGroveCafe,almostnextdoortotheGallery,hadtablesreservedforus beforeitwastimetoheadhome.
Theremustbesomethingin thecornerevenmore interestingthanthesplendid V8motorwaitingtogointo thecar.
ThirteenvehiclesrepresentingfourbranchesattendedtheWellington BranchManawatuMeanderbasedinDannevirke,Friday20thruSunday 22September.ThereweresixvehiclesfromWellington,threefromeach ofHorowhenuaandHawkesBay,plusasingleentryfromManawatu.
FormatfortheweekendwascompulsoryattendanceattheHappyHouron eachofthethreeevenings.Duringthefirsttwo,instructionswerehanded outforthenextday’srun.Thenadjourntoalocalhostelryforgroup dining.
Saturdaydawnedfineanddry.ThemorningruntookusouttoTiTree PointwithmorningteaatWimbledon–notennisorstrawberriesand creaminsight.LunchwastobepartakenatWaihiFalls.Therewasa hiccupwiththerouteuponfindingalockedgateandwehadtoreturn alongtheroadswe’djusttravelled.
Unfortunately,“Matilda”decidedshedidn’twanttovisitWaihiFalls! Thiswasherfourthconsecutiveweekendofrallying,andatthe intersectionofRoute52andWeberRoadshesaid“enoughisenough.” Afterlosingallforwardmomentumandhavingtoberolledbackand parkedontheoppositesideoftheroad,itwasdecidedabrokenaxlewas themostlikelycause.Whattodonow?Stoppedinanareawithnocell phonecoverage.Thankfullyatthisstagewewereallstilltravellingin convoyandsothereweremanyoffersofassistanceandmoralsupport.As planswerebeingformulatedaTararuaDistrictCouncilvehiclepulled alongside,drivenbytheMayor’sPA,LaVonneCottle,whokindlyoffered totakeourdetailsandmakecontactwiththeAAonceinanareawith coverage.Coincidentally,sheissomeonewhohasclosefamilial connectionstoLevin.
Don,MatildaandIsettleddowntoconsumeourpicnicinthesunshineon thesideofWeberRoad.Whilstawaitingrescuewewavedatmanylocals andreturningmembersoftheMeanderwhohaddifficultyfindingWaihi Falls.Rescuecameafteroneandahalfhours–ahappysurpriseinour experience.PreviousrecordsweresevenhoursoutsideWairoaandfiveat Shannonduringthisyear’sNightOwl!
NextfollowedthequickesttripfromDannevirketoLevinthatDon, MatildaandIhaveeverdone.TheD-Maxtravelledextremelywellover TheSaddlewithMatildastrappedonthetrailerbehind.
Wecontinuetobuildonourreputationforstraightlinenavigation...putit onthetruckandnavigatestraightforhome!Thedecisionwasmadeto graba“modern”andreturntoDannevirketorejointheMeanderon Sundaymorningasweweretoolateforthatevening’sproceedings.
Sundayagainofferedupafinesunnymorningandplentyofstorieswere sharedofthosewhodidordidn’tmakeittoviewtheFalls-weweren’t theonlyonestomissout.WetravelledtoOrmondvilleforaquicklook aroundthenontoBlackheadforlunch.Bythetimeeveryonehadfinished picnickingtheweatherwaschanging–perfectlytimed!Fromhereitwas offtoPorangahauthenbacktoDannevirke.
Ashadbeenthecaseafewtimesduringtheweekendinstructionswere opentoowninterpretation...needlesstosaywithoutMatildaandusing Don’sbrilliantnavigationskillsanalternativemuchlongerroutewas takentoPorangahau!Bywhichtimetheheavenshadopenedandwewere pleasedtobetravellingmodern!
AnotherHappyHourandgroupdinnercompletedtheweekend.Many newfriendshipsmadeandothersdeepened.Agreattimehadbyall.
DonandIdecidedtovisitWaihiFallsonMondaymorningastwice beforewe’donlymadeittothecarparkduringMonteCarlos!Afterall therecentrainstheFallswerequitespectacularandwellworththetrip.
